


Lancelot and Guinevere and a Magical Reveal version 2: electric boogaloo

by Onehelluvapilot



Series: Lancelot and Guinevere and a Magical Reveal [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Angst, Episode: s02e04 Lancelot and Guinevere, F/M, Gen, Inspired by Fanart, Lancelot curses, Lancelot just cares too much for everybody, M/M, Magic Revealed, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), and falls in love too easily, no beta we die like women, protective Lancelot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-03 17:04:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19468318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onehelluvapilot/pseuds/Onehelluvapilot
Summary: This is an AU version of what happens as the group makes their escape... What if Arthur had turned back after leading Gwen to the barred exit, and sees how Merlin ensures Hengist's death? How would Arthur react to the magic AND Lancelot's knowledge of it...





	Lancelot and Guinevere and a Magical Reveal version 2: electric boogaloo

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Lancelot and Guinevere - and a Magic Reveal! (ART)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12178356) by [whimsycatcher](https://archiveofourown.org/users/whimsycatcher/pseuds/whimsycatcher). 



> So, this is the second fic I've written based on this art (because I like it so much and wanted to try a more dramatic approach).   
> Lancelot might be a little OOC (as he curses and back talks and is generally disrespectful to Arthur) but really it's understandable because he's just trying to protect Merlin and that isn't OOC at all.

Lancelot quickly placed himself in front of Merlin as Arthur silently lunged. He was unprepared for the ferocity of the attack though, and his sword was knocked out of his hand as he was driven against the tunnel's wall. With his protector disarmed, Arthur moved immediately to Merlin. He shoved his manservant against the wall and put the bare tip of his blade against his neck.

"Give me one good reason not to kill you now," he snarled.

Merlin didn't have a chance to answer, as Lancelot tackled Arthur to the ground. But he was smaller than the Prince and quickly lost the upper hand. Weight mattered more without a sword in one's hand. He ended up on his back with Arthur straddling his hips, in a good position to seriously mess up his face. That apparently wasn't his intention though, as after only one (admittedly very powerful) blow, he moved to stand up. Lancelot grabbed his legs and tripped him before he could.

"Merlin, run!" Lancelot shouted, shortly before taking a boot to the face. He was expecting the servant to protest, but heaved a sigh of relief when he heard quick footsteps echo down the corridor.

"What the hell is going on here?" Guinevere demanded in a very unladylike shout.   
Immediately all of them stopped, and let go, and got to their feet. Lancelot, whose right eye was rapidly swelling shut from the punch and kick to his face, quickly placed himself between Arthur and Merlin again, even as all the men faced the woman.

"Merlin is a sorcerer!" Arthur snapped, head turned accusingly towards his manservant.

"So you tried to kill him on the spot?" Lancelot shouted back.

"It's a better death than he deserves!" The prince retorted.

"For fuck's sake, Arthur, listen to yourself!" None of them had ever heard that sort of language out of Lancelot, nor heard him address Arthur as anything other than Sire. Even Gwen looked a little shocked, but quickly shook it off.

"Whatever the problem is, it can wait," she reasoned. "At least until we're away from the people who want to kill us even more than you want to kill each other."

She was right, they all realized. There was still shouting and wilddeoren screeches echoing down the tunnel, but no screams. Which meant that Hengist was dead. If anyone was going to come after them, they weren't going to wait much longer.

"Let's go then," Arthur growled, snatching his sword up from the ground. He stalked forward and grabbed Gwen around the arm before practically dragging her down the tunnel, away from Merlin and Lancelot, as if he were the one in charge this whole time. The other two men waited until they were a good fifty feet away down the tunnel to follow.

"It's going to be fine, Merlin," Lancelot assured his friend. He rested a hand on the other man's shoulder comfortingly.

"How can it be?" Merlin asked. His tone was more hopeless than ever before, and Lance hoped he would never hear it again.

"I won't let him hurt you."

Lancelot let his hand drop off of Merlin's shoulder as they caught up to Arthur and Gwen. The prince has also released the maid, though whether she had made him do it or he just needed both hands again was unclear. There was a grate blocking the exit to the tunnel, chained tightly shut. Arthur had his sword wedged in the links of the chain, trying to pry it open, to no avail.

Without a word, Lancelot stepped forward with his own sword to join him. Together, they were able to quickly break the chain, and everyone filed out of the tunnel. Merlin began to lead the way back towards, presumably, where they left their supplies and horses.

"No," Arthur proclaimed sternly. Merlin turned around to see him standing firm right outside the tunnel. Gwen stepped slightly to the side away from him, clearly trying to remain neutral. She was smart enough to realize that this was something the boys needed to figure out for and by themselves. "You two aren't coming with us."

"What do you mean, of course I am," the manservant said lightly. It seemed that he'd either forgotten that Arthur had just tried to kill him, or was pointedly ignoring it. "You couldn't get dressed in the morning without me."

"I'll replace you, Merlin. You aren't special."

"Will your next manservant save your life on a regular basis?" Lancelot bit back. "Merlin isn't using his magic to harm Camelot; he's using it to protect it. Remember that business with the Griffin? That was Merlin who killed it, not me."  
This almost seems to get through to Arthur, who turned to face Merlin.

"Only magic can kill a creature of magic," the warlock explained.

"My father has executed hundreds of sorcerers without using magic," Arthur spat out, returning to anger from shock. "He'll kill you too if you return."

"He won't, then. Return, that is," Lancelot compromised.

"Lance!" The man in question protested.

"Merlin, he's right. You can't go back there. It was bad enough when only you and Gaius knew. With him, it's just too risky. Even if he isn't trying to, he could let something slip by accident and then you'd still be just as dead."

"I can't leave. Camelot needs me."

"Yes, and it needs you alive. Please, Merls," Lancelot said, dropping his voice to a whisper, and turning his body so his words were directed only at Merlin. "I need to keep you safe."

There was a pause, but then the young warlock nodded. He turned to his former employer, for what he knew to be the last time for a long time.

“I'll leave,” he said. “When Camelot needs me, or… if you want me back, send word through my mother in Ealdor. Gaius knows how to get in contact.”

Gwen rushed forward to hug him tightly, arms thrown around his neck. "What will I do without you?" She asked. The woman did have other friends, but she and Merlin had always enjoyed a sort of easy familiarity that came of them both being servants with a good sense of humor.

"You'll do amazing," Merlin assured her, hugging her back. She turned to Lancelot.

"Milady, you've changed me more than I can say," he said as he hugged her. "You've made me a better man, and I wouldn't trade having known you for the world." He kissed her forehead gently as he released her. There were tears in her eyes and she was too choked up to wish him goodbye. "We will meet again, I promise you."

She retreated back to stand beside Arthur as Lancelot and Merlin began to leave. The prince nodded solemnly to the warrior when their eyes met, which was hard to interpret. Lancelot thought it was of gratitude, but for what he was unsure.

Merlin pointedly didn't make eye contact until they were almost out of sight in the dense trees. Then he paused and turned around while Lance continued ahead.

"Kilgharrah the dragon once told me that you and I are two sides of the same coin,” he said to Arthur. "Together, we would unite the land of Albion and bring peace and good magic back to the realm. If you try, Arthur, you will be a better king than your father. But you have to try."

Without expecting or waiting for a reply, he turned and hurried to catch up with Lancelot and join him in exile.

**Author's Note:**

> Merlin does get to keep the awesome outfit though, which is featured in the art this is inspired by. Totally go check it out if you haven't already; it's gorgeous.
> 
> As always, I love getting feedback on my work.


End file.
